Insulation displacement systems (IDS) provide a convenient way to establish an electrical connection between an electrical conductor and an electrical contact (e.g., an electric terminal, electric interface, a second electric wire, etc.).
A conventional IDS includes a terminal with an open or “tuning fork” slot extending from one edge of the terminal. A section of an electrical cable (which includes a single or multi-strand electrical conductor surrounded by an insulator) is directed into the slot in such a way that the longitudinal axis of the electrical cable and the longitudinal axis of the slot are substantially perpendicular. Typically, the width of the slot is narrower than the diameter of the conductor bundle. Thus, as the insulated cable is pressed into the slot, the edges of the slot cut into the insulation surrounding the electrical conductor(s) to displace the insulator, thereby exposing the electrical conductor(s). Additionally, as the exposed electrical conductor continues to travel into the slot, making contact with the electrically conducting edges of the slot, the substantially round shape of the conductor bundle is compressed into an oval shape, establishing an electric connection with the electrical contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,717 issued Mar. 25, 2008 and hereby incorporated by reference, describes an insulation-displacement system that uses two insulation displacement terminals with opposed overlapping slots. As the terminals are moved together, they define a narrowing opening which captures an electrical cable to displace its insulation and compress the conductor. The opening formed from the overlapping slots provides improved connection between the wire and terminals by better holding the conductor in a compressed state on multiple sides for more even distribution of power density among the wires of the bundle and better resistance to dislodgement by vibration.